


What Friends Do

by floral_mime



Category: Persona 2, Persona Series
Genre: Best Friends, Boys Being Boys, Fluff, Gen, Makeover, Slice of Life, boys in makeup, sleepover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26305582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floral_mime/pseuds/floral_mime
Summary: After a long day at school, Eikichi decides to invite Jun over for a "bros' night..." whatever that's supposed to be.
Relationships: Kurosu Jun & Mishina Eikichi
Comments: 5
Kudos: 45





	What Friends Do

The boys had made a habit of walking home together from school. Sometimes that would lead them to the prison, where Jun would watch Eikichi and his band practice, but not today. Today, they were walking home in an uncomfortable silence. It was a weird thing to fall between them. They walked, Jun’s gaze directed towards the ground, and Eikichi’s toward the buildings they passed. Eikichi finally couldn’t take it. He stepped in front of Jun and put his arms out, bringing him to a stumbling stop.

“Something’s off,” he said.

“Wh- what?” Jun asked, startled by the sudden intervention.

“You haven’t said a word and we’re already halfway home.” He folded his arms. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Michel,” Jun said, gripping the strap of his bag tighter. “I guess… nothing conversation worthy happened today.”

Eikichi didn’t buy that. Jun could be introverted and shy and quiet, but there’s always something conversation worthy when you’re with the great Michel. Besides, Jun’s body language made it seem like there was more to it, so Eikichi knew he had the right idea. He thought for a moment, then grinned.

“Okay, let me make you an offer. We don’t have school tomorrow, so how’s about you stay at my place for the night?”

Jun looked even more surprised. His grip on his bag loosened. “Are you sure about that? Would… would your dad be okay with that?”

Eikichi grinned a little wider. “He said he won’t be home today.” Noticing the confusion on Jun’s face, he added, “He didn’t tell me why.” It was very likely that he did tell him and he just hadn’t listened, but the important thing was that the house would be free. “Come on, it’ll just be a bros’ night!”

“Bros’ night? Would that mean we should invite Tacchi too?” he asked cautiously.

“Nope!” Eikichi said with no hesitation. “You two are dating, which means you’re more than bros, which would make the whole thing unfair!”

“I see…”

Eikichi returned to Jun’s side and hooked arms with him before continuing to walk on. Jun stumbled at yet another sudden change of pace, but quickly regained his footing. “Come on, we can stop by your place so you can grab anything you need.” They kept walking, now with a goal in mind and the awkward silence gone.

Eikichi pulled out the key and unlocked the door to his house. Jun had traded his school bag for a sleepover bag and his uniform for casual clothes at his apartment, and was now watching Eikichi as he opened the door. The two walked inside.

“You’re lucky, you know,” Eikichi boasted as they took off their shoes. “Plenty of adoring fans would kill to see the legendary Michel’s room.”

Jun smiled. “Very lucky. I guess this makes me your number one fan.”

Eikichi laughed. “Tell that to the ladies screaming at our next show,” he said proudly. He gestured for Jun to follow him. “My room’s this way.”

Jun followed him into his room. It felt disconnected from the rest of the house; the walls were a dark blue, practically the same shade as Eikichi’s hair. Posters of various bands, including Gas Chamber flyers, decorated the walls. A vanity was against one wall and, while the top just had deodorant and a hairbrush and the like, Jun got the feeling Eikichi kept his makeup and hair products hidden in its drawers. His bed wasn’t made, but for the most part, his room was shockingly clean. Jun was a little surprised.

“So…” Jun had, admittedly, not done something like this in recent memory. He wasn’t sure what one was supposed to do at a sleepover with a friend. He fidgeted with his sleeve and looked around the room. “What are we supposed to do?”

Eikichi made an expression that meant he was thinking. His face brightened and he looked at Jun. “You’re cool with makeup, right?”

“I am, why?”

Eikichi walked to his vanity and opened a lower drawer, taking out a few music magazines and then pulling out makeup. He set his tools down on the top of the vanity and put the magazines back in the drawer. He turned to Jun. “Toss me that blanket,” he said, gesturing to the one that was mostly draping off the side of the bed. Jun took it and handed it to him. Eikichi took the blanket and threw it over the mirror of the vanity. He closed the drawer, took the makeup in his hands, and sat down on the ground. He waved Jun over to join him. “I’m gonna make you over into the next stunning superstar, Michel-style!”

“You’re going to make me look like you, then?” Jun asked.

“No one can look quite as devilishly handsome as moi, but I’ll make you look as close as possible.”

Jun chuckled. “Alright,” he came over and sat down across from Eikichi. “And the blanket is to keep the end result a surprise?”

Eikichi was already leaned in, applying (Foundation? Face paint? It was too pale to tell) makeup on Jun’s face. “Mmh-mh!” he said, seemingly in the zone. He turned and reached into a drawer and took out a hair clip. He gestured to Jun’s fringe. “Can I move that?”

“Here.” Jun took to clip and pinned his hair back so his full face was exposed. Eikichi smiled and continued on with painting Jun. “Do you normally do people’s makeup?”

Eikichi shook his head, trading out what he had been using for black eyeliner. “My bandmates don’t ever wear makeup, and Ginko would kill me if I made her look like this. Close your eyes.” Jun did and felt the eyeliner on his eyelid. Eikichi had such a steady hand with it. “You’re technically the first person I’ve done this to.”

That was surprising to Jun, considering how well it felt like he was doing. If he didn’t know better, he would think Eikichi had done this hundreds of times before.

“Okay, look up.” Jun followed his directions so Eikichi could keep lining under his eye. Eikichi told him he could look down and he took the lipstick in his hands. “You can’t chat for this part or else I’ll mess up. If I do, I’m not fixing it,” he teased. Jun smiled and let him go at it.

Eikichi pulled away sooner than Jun expected. The boss started standing, but Jun grabbed his sleeve, stopping him midway up. “There’s no way you’re done,” he said simply.

Eikichi looked at him, confused. “Of course I’m done! Are you stalling seeing how stunning I’ve made you?”

Jun stifled a small laugh. “Not at all. I just don’t think it’s fair for you to be the only one demonstrating your talent.” He turned his focus towards the makeup laying out. “Give me a chance. I… I think I can outdo you,” he said, trying to channel Michel’s confidence.

His sleeve faced a slight tug from Jun. “Alright,” Eikichi said, “you think you can outdo me? Let me grab a makeup wipe first. If we’re doing this in the name of fairness, you’re getting a blank slate too.” He opened the same drawer from before and dug out a pack of makeup wipes. He turned to face Jun. “I’m gonna use the mirror. No peeking until you’ve done me.”

Jun closed his eyes and turned around. He wasn’t sure he had seen Eikichi without any makeup since they were kids. Sure, Jun could sometimes catch him before school when he was still getting ready, but Eikichi always was partially through his makeup.

He barely registered the sound of someone sitting across from him, but was shaken from his thoughts by Eikichi’s voice. “Your turn.”

Jun opened his eyes and turned to face him. He was a little surprised; when you get used to seeing him with makeup, you forget what he looks like without it. He didn’t hesitate for too long before sorting through the makeup they had. “This isn’t going to be your normal style,” he warned before asking, “Do you have a more saturated foundation?”

“No,” Eikichi said, but he picked up a smaller bottle. “I’ve got some concealer, at least.”

Jun took the bottle and examined it. “Okay. Wish me luck.”

The boys stared into the freshly uncovered mirror. They both were speechless, looking at themselves and registering their faces with the other’s makeup on it. Jun looked like a smaller Eikichi, though he had put his hair back down, covering part of his Michel-ified face. Eikichi, on the other hand, looked like he was from the cover of a magazine. Not any alternative, out-there magazine, mind you. He looked like he had been just barely touched up by a photo editor.

Jun was the first to speak. “You really are an artist,” he said, admiring how clean every line and edge was. He had seen Eikichi draw before, but he thought a face would be a more difficult canvas than paper. If it had been any harder, Jun had no way of telling.

Eikichi was still examining himself in the mirror. He had no sharp lines, dark lips, or anything that gave him his usual edge. He had a bit of eyeshadow, but it was soft, blended, and much smaller than he normally had. “You can hardly see anything,” he remarked, still watching his reflection.

“It’s meant to be subtle,” Jun said.

“But how am I supposed to grab attention? How am I supposed to let everyone look at me and think ‘That’s the one and only Michel?’” He looked at Jun, and his expression was less angry than bewildered.

Jun laughed softly. “Michel, when was the last time you saw yourself without makeup?”

Eikichi shook his head. “Nah, I’ve seen myself without makeup. This,” he gestured to his face, “is almost no makeup, but just a little bit of eyeshadow. It’s almost the same, but with a tiny change!”

“There’s also a bit of lip colour!”

“If it’s the same colour as normal lips, it doesn’t count as lip colour.”

“If you don’t like it, you’re free to take it off,” Jun offered.

Eikichi turned back to the mirror. “Oh for sure. There’s no way I’m leaving this on,” he said, studying his reflection once again.

Evening had rolled around and neither of them had taken off their makeup, though Eikichi had finally thought to change out of his uniform. They tired themselves out flipping through a magazine Jun had never heard of and talking about bands he “just had to listen to.” At a certain point, Eikichi realised it was getting late and offered to make food. They moved to the kitchen, discussed what they had and what they didn’t want, and decided on curry rice from a box. It was easy enough to make without being instant noodles.

They took their finished plates to the table and sat down across from one another. Nothing too fancy, but still a good meal. They were about halfway through their food when Jun spoke up. “Thank you for inviting me over,” he said. “I’m really glad to spend time with you.”

Eikichi looked up from his plate at him. “Hey, no problem. You seemed like you were having a rough day, and that’s no good.” His voice was more gentle than normal, but he still had his arrogant-looking smile.

Jun nodded. “Thank you,” he repeated. “That’s a lot to do just because you thought I had a bad day…”

“Not at all.” Eikichi pointed his spoon at Jun and winked, which got a stifled laugh out of him. “That’s just what friends do.”

In all honesty, today hadn’t been great for Jun. He looked down in thought. It was astonishing how well Eikichi could read him, and how willing he was to offer support. Jun couldn’t put into words how much this meant to him. Maybe he had flowers at home that could help. He could make a bouquet and gift it to Eikichi, perhaps…

“Oh yeah, when we’re done, do you wanna watch a movie? I got a couple new ones last week, so you can choose which one we put on.” Jun looked up at Eikichi. Without the dramatic makeup, his face exposed just how caring he really was. His smile looked softer.

Jun smiled back. “I’d love to.”


End file.
